Minority influence

A form of social influence in which an individual or a small group of people persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours. Leads to internalisation

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What are the three things a minority influence should show?

Consistency, commitment and flexibility

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What did Moscovici et al. do?

6 people asked to view set of 36 blue-coloured slides then say if blue or green. Two confederates said green on two-thirds of trial, same wrong answer on 8.42% of trials, 32% same answer as minority at least one trial

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What is meant by consistency?

Keep same beliefs over time, across all individuals - increases amount of interest from other people, makes them re-think their views

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What is meant by commitment?

Some engage in extreme activities to demonstrate commitment - even sacrificing lives. People then pay even more attention (augmentation principle)

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What is meant by flexibility?

Nemeth - consistency can be interpreted negatively, as dogmatic and inflexible. Have to accept possibility of compromise

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What is meant by 'the snowball effect'?

The faster the rate of conversion, the quicker the minority view becomes the majority view and change has occurred

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What research support is there for consistency?

Moscovici et al. - consistent minority had greater effect than inconsistent, Wood et al. carried out meta-analysis of 100 similar studies and found minorities seen as consistent most influential

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What is wrong with artificial tasks within minority influence?

Identifying colour of slide - far removed from how minorities attempt to change the behaviour of majorities in real life. E.g. jury decision making has important outcomes! So lack external validity

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What research support is there for internalisation within minority influence?

Variation of Moscovici's - participants could write answers down, agreement with minority greater. Didn't want to be associated with minority position in case they were seen as 'radical', 'weird', or 'awkward'